


Bittersweet Life

by TheonewithwheelsASH



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: F/M, Two major character deaths
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-08
Updated: 2018-07-17
Packaged: 2019-06-07 10:00:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15216710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheonewithwheelsASH/pseuds/TheonewithwheelsASH
Summary: When Sherlock and Molly both agreed to be godparents to Rosie. They did not know how much it would change there lives at such a dark time.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the first story I have published in 2018 better late than ever I guess. It has taken me since April to finish it and I'm finally ready to share I hope you like it. 
> 
> Heads up this chapter is a bit sad so sorry in advance. Enjoy!

The last few years had been tough for Sherlock and Molly. Becoming godparents to Rosie was the day that they would never forget. Molly couldn’t believe the day Mary had asked her to be the person who would care for Rosie if anything happened to her or John; she felt honoured and accepted right away. Little did she know, a year after that conversation happened, the unimaginable would happen.

Mary and John had dropped Rosie off at Molly’s, so they could have a weekend getaway. Molly didn’t mind at all because she loved spending time with Rosie and knew that John and Mary deserved a night off. Molly wasn’t alone in looking after Rosie; Sherlock had conveniently decided he was going to use her flat as a bolthole. Molly thought that he just wanted to spend time with Rosie and herself, but she wasn’t going to say otherwise. She just got on with whatever the detective said, just for one quiet evening. 

Whilst she ordered takeaway for Sherlock and herself, the detective decided he would help by feeding Rosie, although it looked like he was getting more food on himself than the child. Molly couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight.

“Don’t just laugh at me, Hooper, this is more difficult than it looks,” Sherlock said to her.

“It’s easy if you know how,” Molly said, trying to be more helpful.

“If you think that you can do a better job, please, show me how it is done.”

The moment Molly sat down in front of Rosie, it was like she changed. Molly was able to give the food to her with no problems, which seemed to impress but slightly annoy Sherlock at the same time.  After everyone had eaten their food, Molly got Rosie washed and ready for bed.

Just before Molly put her to bed, she decided to read her a story just like her parents did each night. As she read, Sherlock made comments about the story that didn’t make sense to him.

“I don’t get it why would a mother send her child into a forest if she knew there were going to be wolves that could potentially eat her child. It just does not make sense.”

“It’s a children’s story, Sherlock, it has a hidden message inside it.” Molly laughed

“Oh, and what is the ‘hidden message’ in this one?”

“To teach children not to talk to strangers.”

Sherlock thought about this for a minute. “Nope, still don’t see it. It’s a stupid story if you ask me, like most children’s stories.”

After Rosie fell asleep on her godmother’s lap, Sherlock picked her up and took to the Moses basket that had been set up in Molly’s bedroom.  When he returned to the living room, he found Molly clearing up after their dinner.

“Have you ever thought about having children, Molly?” Sherlock asked.

This question seemed to surprise Molly. The detective had asked many personal questions over the years, but this was one she would not expect from him.

“Yes. When I was younger, it was one thing that I wanted, but I don’t think that will happen now. How about you? Have you ever wanted children?”

“No, not really. I don’t think I’d be any good at it,” Sherlock told her.

“You’re good with Rosie,” Molly told him.

“So are you.” Sherlock smiled at her.

After Molly finished clearing up, she and Sherlock sat down in front of the TV, trying to find something on Netflix that they could both agree on.  They got halfway through a crime drama before it was decided that Sherlock was not allowed to talk through it.

When the episode had finished, Sherlock leaned over and started to kiss her.

This wasn’t the first time it had happened, but they never spoke about it. He was now above her on the sofa; as she looked at him, she knew this wasn’t the same detective, the one he presented himself to the world. This was her Sherlock.

Molly could smell his aftershave on his neck she almost let herself get lost in when she brought herself back to reality. “Sherlock, we can’t. Rosie is here.”

“There’s always your spare room. Besides, the sofa hasn’t stopped us before.” 

Before Molly could think of a reply, Sherlock’s phone started to ring.

“You should probably get that.”

Begrudgingly, Sherlock got off Molly and went to check his phone. “It’s Greg."

“Probably got another case for you.”

“Let’s see, shall we?” Sherlock said as he answered the phone.

As he began to listen to the man on the other side of the phone, Molly swore that she saw all the colour drain from Sherlock’s face.

“What’s wrong Sherlock?” she said, reaching his arm out to him.

When the phone call finished, he put his phone down and stared at the wall. For a moment, it looked like he had gone into his mind palace. Then:

 “It’s Mary and John …there’s been an accident.”

“Do we need to go to the hospital?”

“John and Mary are dead.”

Molly couldn’t believe the words that just left Sherlock's mouth. “But...I saw them three hours ago. They were here…alive.”

“A drunk driver cut them off. Caused a crash. They didn’t make it.”

“No. This can’t be happening.”

“Greg wants me to go to Bart’s to make sure it’s definitely them,” Sherlock said. still looking at the wall.

“I’ll go with you,” Molly said, hoping this would be helpful.

Just then, the cries from Rosie broke them both from their thoughts.

“Oh god, Rosie. What do we do? She just lost her parents. Sherlock, what do we do?”

“Go get Rosie. We will take her with us; she won’t see them, but at least she’ll be there. I’ll text Mycroft, see if he can send us a car.”

Molly went into her room and tried to settle Rosie and get her ready to go to Bart’s. When she walked back into the living room, she saw that Sherlock had put his coat on and had the baby carrier in his hand.

“Go put your coat on, I’ll put Rosie in this,” Sherlock said, as he stepped forward to take Rosie from her.

“Thanks,” Molly said to him.

 

The ride to Bart’s was mostly in silence. Sherlock was on his phone, texting his brother. Molly kept her focus on Rosie, just making sure she was okay.   When they finally got to Bart’s, Greg was waiting for them.

“Sorry to call you both here at this late hour, but I just wanted you to check if it’s definitely them,” Lestrade said, as they walked to the morgue.

“I’ll wait out here with Rosie, you two go in. I’ll be right here when you get out,” Molly said, directing the last bit at Sherlock.

It was more than fifteen minutes before she saw Sherlock again. In that time, Rosie had woken up and didn’t want to go back to sleep. Molly tried her best to calm her down, but nothing seemed to work. Did she somehow know something had happened to her parents? She thought to herself. As she tried to comfort her goddaughter. the door opened, and Sherlock walked out. From the look on his face, she could see that it was true: their friends were gone.

Sherlock walked over and gently took Rosie into his arms. “It’s going to be okay, Watson. I promise.”

Not long after this, they found out the news. Another car came to pick them up to take them to Mycroft’s office to discuss details about what would happen to Rosie. When they saw the older brother, it was clear that the loss of the Watsons had upset him too.

“As I’m sure you both know, you are godparents to Rosie. However, I’ve been looking over they’re will this evening, and it’s clear they have done more than that.”

“Like what, brother mine?” Sherlock asked.

“In the event that something like this was to happen, they have named you and Doctor Hooper her legal guardians.”

“Us? Molly asked, shocked.

“It would seem so,” Mycroft said to her. “Not only that but they have also left you their house, so Rosie can grow up in a home that they chose for her.”

“It seems like they really thought about this,” Sherlock said, to no one in particular.

After deciding to go over the paperwork later, they took Rosie back to her home, which was now also Sherlock and Molly’s. Opening the door and walking in was odd; the place seemed too quiet.  Molly walked upstairs, carrying a sleeping Rosie to her room. When she came back downstairs, she found Sherlock sat on the sofa, silently crying.

Molly walked over to Sherlock and pulled him into a hug. and then she finally let herself cry. They weren’t sure how long they held each other like that; it could have been five minutes, or it could have been hours.

“I promised John and Mary that I would keep them and Rosie safe. I promised the three of them,” Sherlock whispered.

“This wasn’t your fault, Sherlock. You couldn’t have stopped this.”

“I know, but I’m going to do everything that I can to make sure Rosie is always safe, and that extends to you too. I can’t lose you too.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Sherlock. We must be here for Rosie. I understand if you don’t want to help, but I’m sure Bart’s will be able to help work out a more convenient schedule. I know that raising a child probably isn’t your thing so-”

Sherlock knew he had to interrupt her ramble of worry. “Molly, I want to try. I’m not sure, but we can both learn.”

“We will learn together.”

-

Even though that was five years ago, Molly still found the news hard to believe. So much had changed in that time; she no longer had her flat and Sherlock no longer lived at Baker Street, now only using it as an office. He and Mycroft both made sure that the person who caused the crash that took the lives of John and Mary was put behind bars for a long time.

Rosie was doing well herself, getting smarter and more curious as the days went by. She was so much like her parents; she was the spitting image of Mary, and clever like her too. She also managed to inherit her mother’s way with Sherlock; she had him wrapped around her little finger. But she was also like John too; she inherited a bit of his grumpy side, shown when she was tired. Seeing how very like them Rosie was made Molly miss her friends. Molly hoped that they would think Sherlock and herself were doing a good job trying to raise Rosie.

 

In those five years, a lot had also changed between Sherlock and Molly. They now live together, being parents to Rosie, but also friends, work colleagues, and occasional lovers, so to say it was a bit complicated would be a bit of an understatement.

Of course, things were going to get even more complicated; Molly had just found out she was pregnant with his child.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Molly reflects on the news of her unexpected pregnancy and tries to think of a way to tell Sherlock. How will he take the news read and find out!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the response to the last chapter I was generally surprised that people actually liked it. I also wanted to say cause I didn't make it clear in the last fic that anything that happened in season 4 is after Rosie christening is not canon with this fic

Molly has been feeling unwell for a few days. She tried to put this to the back of her mind because Sherlock was away on a case, so she spent most of her time focusing on work and looking after Rosie. Feeling nauseous when she woke up, just about managing to eat breakfast and getting her goddaughter to school and getting to work early, she checked her phone to see that she had a text from Sherlock.

  ** _Solved the case. Just tying up a few things. Should be home tonight. Missed you and Rosie – SH_**

Molly was glad to know that he would be back by the end of the day; she had missed him.  It was only then that she had realized the reason behind why she was feeling so ill. She was five days late. Molly tried not to worry herself.

“You don’t know yet,” Molly whispered to herself. “You’re probably not.”

Knowing that her boss was probably in his office and she still had some time before she was meant to start, Molly went to put her bag in her lock and went to Mike's office. She knocked on the door and waited for her boss to answer.

“Come in,” he called from the other side.

Molly walked into his office. “Hi, Mike.”

“Molly, it’s lovely to see you,” he greeted her. “Sit down. What can I do for you?”

Mike had been a good friend to Sherlock and Molly over the last few years. Being good friends with John and understanding the situation after the accident, Mike was always accommodating when it came to Sherlock and Molly looking after Rosie. Molly knew that she would be able to trust Mike with this situation.

“The thing is,” Molly said as she sat down, “I think I might be pregnant. I’m not sure, I haven’t done a test or anything, but I was wondering would you be able to run a blood test for me?”

“Oh, Molly, sure.”

“I also wanted to check before my shift because I know if I am I won’t be able to do autopsies.”

“Of course, Molly, let’s go to the lab now.”

Within half an hour, Molly got the news she had suspected.

“Congratulations, Molly.” Mike smiled at her “Also, please pass on my congratulations to Sherlock.”

Molly tried not to act surprised. She didn’t know what she had with Sherlock how did other people “I always find it unexpected when other people see something between me and Sherlock. I’m not sure what we have, we haven’t had a proper verbal acknowledgement about it. Probably too scared it would ruin it.

Mike smiled softly at the young pathologist “Trust me, Molly, he loves you.”

“Oh. Yes.” Molly said not knowing if this was the right thing to say.

 “And I’m sure Rosie will love having a sibling.”

Molly had completely forgotten about Rosie. How was this going to affect her? She never asked for her parents to die, to have Sherlock and Molly raise her. Did she want a sibling, or would she feel pushed out? Molly didn’t want to upset the little girl; she’d been through too much already. How was she going to break the news to both of them?

All throughout the day, she felt herself watching the clock. Because of her pregnancy, she wouldn’t be doing any autopsies. It was whilst she was doing paperwork, her mind played out all the possibilities of what might happen when she told the news to Sherlock and Rosie. There were visions of Sherlock walking out on her and Rosie, or him telling her he’d be there for Rosie and not their child.

“ _I promised John and Mary I would always be there for their child. I never said about having one of my own_.” Molly heard his voice in her head. Only a few times did she allow herself to imagine a happy ending.

All of the situations in her mind led her to think back to how it had begun between Sherlock and herself.  The first time it happened he turned up at her flat in the late. Molly had just finished work and was getting ready to make dinner for herself when Sherlock knocked on her door.

It wasn’t an uncommon for him to turn up at her flat like this, especially since her involvement in the fall he seemed different and not like himself scared it would be one of his danger nights Molly invited him in to eat dinner with her.

Molly listened to Sherlock as he explained the case he had just solved. A middle age man had been found dead in his work office Sherlock was able to work out that it was the victim’s sister who committed the murder by slowly poisoning him all because she wanted his life insurance money to get her out of debt. “Barely a five even you could have solved it.”

“Oh really, I’m not so sure, you’re the detective and I’m the pathologist I’ll stick to cutting up the dead bodies and you solve the case.”

“We make a good team,” Sherlock said absentmindedly.

What Sherlock did next still sent chills down her spine even to this day he leant over and kissed her. The moment his lips hit her it was a shock and it took her a few seconds to register what was going on. ‘oh my god Sherlock Holmes is kissing me she thought. Why the fuck am I not kissing back’ at that moment she started to comply.

When they broke apart neither of them were sure how much time had passed but when Sherlock looked at her all she could see was a lost boy who seemed scared of what was going to happen next. “Sorry Molly” He got up from the table and was about to walk away.

“We can move it to the bedroom if you like?” Molly asked shyly as she bit the side of her lip.

The rest all happened in a rush to get clothes off and just to be together even if it was just for this one night. Before she knew it, Sherlock was lying on top of out of breath from what they had just done. He brushed a tiny bit of her hair that was on her face and tucked it behind her ear before he whispered in it. “I don't know what this is between us, but I want it.”

That was the only time they spoke about it. One way or another both of them knew there were rules and talking about it was one of them. Worried that saying anything would break the spell of what they had.

Even after John and Mary died they still continued as they had before. They need each other more than ever hoping it would help with the pain of losing their friends but being careful not wanting to let Rosie know or see too much. If something changed in there dynamic they both knew they did not want it to hurt, their goddaughter.

But now Molly had to tell Sherlock her secret and it made her feel scared and like she was about to lose everything she held dear to her.

 

When work was done, Molly went to pick Rosie up from school. She couldn’t wait to tell her that Uncle Sherlock would be back from his case. It always warmed her heart to see how close the two of them were. As she waited for the little girl, all around her Molly could see other parents waiting for their children, families with one parent or two and siblings.

“Siblings,” Molly whispered to herself.  It was then that she knew that if she got Rosie round the idea, then maybe she would be able to help her tell Sherlock in their own way.

“Aunt Molly!” Rosie yelled as she ran to great her godmother with a hug.

“Hello, sweetheart, did you have a good day at school?”

“Yep,” Rosie said in a way that mirrored her godfather.

As the two of them began the short walk back to their home, Rosie told Molly all the things that she had learnt at school during that day and the games she played with her friends during break and lunchtime.

“It sounds like you had a very good day,” Molly said to Rosie. “Rosie, can I ask you something?”

“Okay,” the little girl said, looking up at Molly with a look that resembled so much of her mother.

“What’s different with our family from the other children that are in your class?”

Molly could see the child slowly start work it out. “Well, I don’t have Mummy and Daddy. I have you and Uncle Sherlock. Some children have one parent, others have two, one boy has two mums.”

“Yes, those are some differences,” Molly agreed. “Can you think of anything else?”

Once again, Molly could see the child thinking. “Well, they all have brothers or sisters.”

There it was: the thing Molly was waiting to be said. “How do you feel about that? Not having a sibling.”

“It would be nice to have someone to play with,” Rosie said thoughtfully. “Especially when Uncle Sherlock is away.”

“He will be back tonight. You know what that means, right?”

“Takeaway and movie night while Sherlock tells all about his case!” Rosie cheered.

 

Sherlock walked through the door to his home a few hours later to the smell of food and the sound of laughter. As he stepped into the kitchen, he was meet by Rosie running to give him a hug.

“Uncle Sherlock, I missed you!”  

Sherlock picked up the little girl, so he could see her better. “I missed you too, Rosamund.”

 “Did you kick the butt of the bad guy?” Rosie asked.

“Of course. I wouldn’t be back if I hadn’t.”

“Can you tell me all about your case?”

Sherlock caught the look Molly was giving that said, _‘please make this child-friendly - we don’t want another reason for her to go to therapy’._ “Of course, but let me say hello to Aunt Molly first.”

Sherlock walked over to Molly and kissed her on the cheek. “Missed you,” he whispered in her ear.

“Missed you too,” Molly replied to him.

As Molly ordered their dinner, she heard Sherlock tell Rosie all about his case. Molly knew she would hear the adult version later but, for now, Rosie enjoyed the story of getting to hear her uncle be a hero and save the day.

 

Sherlock was glad to be home. He missed his girls while he had been away. If you had told him a few years before that he would one day finish a case, come back to a home, and be raising a child with Molly Hooper, he would have told you that you were crazy and needed help, but now this was his life and he wouldn’t change it for the world.

“I want to have a sibling,” Rosie said suddenly, “but I can't cause Mummy and Daddy are in heaven, so they can't make one.”

Sherlock felt like a bucket of water just been thrown on him. What had Rosie just said and why did she say it? He looked at Molly and could see that she had gone completely white.

Molly put her arm around their godchild and pulled her into a hug. “I know, Rosie, it's very sad.”

“Everybody in my class has a sibling. I'm the odd one out,” Rosie said. looking up at them with her big eyes.

“There is nothing odd about you, Rosamund,” Sherlock said, hoping that he was helping the situation.

“What if you two had a baby?” Rosie said.

Sherlock and Molly both looked at each other, hoping that the other would speak. It felt like the silence stretched on forever, and both were grateful when Sherlock’s phone started to ring.

“It’s Mycroft,” Sherlock said, taking the phone out of his pocket. “He probably wants to talk about some information from the case.”

“Yes... you should get that,” Molly said. She watched him walk off into the kitchen.

 

By the time Sherlock walked back into the living room, there was nobody left in the room. Knowing that there was only one other place they could be, he walked upstairs quietly. Just at the top of the stairs, Sherlock could see that Rosie’s bedroom door ajar and inside the little girl was sleeping peacefully.

Seeing a light on from the bedroom down the hall told Sherlock that was where Molly would be. The room used to be John and Mary’s room; now it was the one that he shared with Molly. When he entered the room, he could see that she had changed into one of his old t-shirts from his university days. Molly had adopted it as a night top. It was a few sizes too big, but he knew it looked better on her than himself.

“Sorry I didn’t help with bedtime. Mycroft wanted to clear up a few details to do with the case.”

Molly looked up from the book she was reading and smiled at the detective. “That’s okay. She was pretty tired by the time she got into bed, didn’t even need a bedtime story. The excitement of you being back mostly tired her out.”

“Yes … that makes sense,” Sherlock said hoping it was the right response. “Are you happy to have me back?”

“Of course, I am, Sherlock. I miss you when you’re gone. I’ve gotten used to you being here.”

Sherlock walked over to the bed and started to take off his shoes. He could feel the elephant in the room surrounding them; having his back to Molly made it easier for what he was about to say.

 “Do you think Rosie has a point at wanting another child in the family?”

Molly looked at him suddenly, surprised that he brought up the topic. “I mean, yes, it would be nice for her, but what if it's like a toy? She wants it now but then kind of grows out of the idea and by then it might be too late, and she would have one anyway.”

“If Rosie is anything like her mother, which we know she is, once she has an idea in her head there is no changing it.” Sherlock smiled at her.

“Sometimes I forget how much she’s like Mary and John,” Molly said, as she remembered her friends. “I mean, we do a good job, but she still misses out on a lot of things other children have.”

“She does. but at least she has us,” Sherlock whispered. 

“We try our best,” Molly replied.

“Would it be something you want, though?” Sherlock asked. “I mean, you’re the one who has to do the hard work, and actually carry and give birth to the child.”

“But it’s not just me and Rosie we have to think about, Sherlock. It’s something you’ve got to want too.”

His Molly still had ways of surprising him, even after all these years; she always wanted to make sure he was okay, always wanting to protect him.

“I mean, it would make sense for us to have a child. We’re both very smart and Mummy would love a grandchild. I know she treats Rosie like her own, but she always said it would be nice to have another baby in the family. Remember what she said at Christmas?”

Molly smiled at the memory of spending Christmas at his parents’ house. Sherlock’s mother had cooked enough food to last several weeks, with all of it tasting amazing, and Mr Holmes told stories to Molly and Rosie about younger versions of Mycroft and Sherlock that had them laughing and the two brothers silently wishing for it all to end, but there was also the comments that Mrs Holmes made to both Sherlock and Molly that she would like a grandchild, or that they both would make such wonderful parents to a child of their own. It was something that had not been discussed until now.

“She did make it seem very clear. _‘It would be nice to have more grandchildren to spoil at Christmas. Have you two thought about having a baby?’_ was one I heard her say a few times.”

“Yes,” Sherlock smiled. “I think Mycroft was glad he wasn’t the one the topic was aimed at.”

“Sherlock, would you be okay with having a baby?”

“Yes. If I was to have a child with anyone, it would be you, Molly Hooper,” Sherlock said. “We could start trying. That is, if you want to?”

Molly turned to look at Sherlock, who was now sitting on the bed and facing her she took a deep breath and spoke. “We don’t need to try.”

“What?” Sherlock said, looking her up and down, trying to deduce from her which was something he had not done since before Mary and John died.

“I’m pregnant.” Molly smiled, feeling tears start to fall on her face. She didn’t know whether they were happy or sad.

“You are?” Sherlock said, a smile appearing on his face as he moved to wipe the tears away from her face. Whilst doing so, he leaned in and place a kissed on her forehead.

“Yes,” Molly whispered. “I found out this morning. Is this okay?”

Before she could say anything else, he silenced her with a kiss.

“It’s more than okay. I love you, Molly.”

“I love you too,” she replied to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there it is Sherlock knows about the baby. I hope you like this chapter it's probably my favourite one in the story. if you can please leave a comment I love to hear your feedback. I should have the third and final chapter up by the end of the weekend maybe sooner if you would like it. Thanks again for reading it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sherlock and Molly tell Rosie their news and she asks them on more question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the final chapter I have really enjoyed writing this story. I hope you like it

Sherlock was pacing back and forth while Molly watched from the kitchen table. “We’re going to have to tell her today?” He asked.

“Yes, we agreed to tell her before we go to the scan, so we could take her with us,” Molly said.

“But are you sure this is the right time? Maybe we should leave it till next week.”

“Sherlock, sit down, you’re getting yourself all worked up.” As he sat down, Molly took his hand and held it in hers. “We can’t keep it from Rosie forever. I’m really starting to show now; it’s not going to be something we can hide.”

“That’s true. Let’s tell Rosie now.”

They both walked out of the kitchen holding each other’s hand, to see their goddaughter sat in the living room watching cartoons on the TV.

“Rosie, would it be okay if we had a quick word with you?” Sherlock asked.

“I’m not in trouble, am I?” Their goddaughter asked.

“No.” Molly laughed as she sat down next to Rosie and pulled her onto her lap. “I can promise you that you are not in trouble.”

Sherlock knelt down in front of his goddaughter. “Do you remember you told us that you wanted a sibling?”

“Yes,” Rosie replied eagerly.

“Well Molly and I are going to have a baby,” Sherlock said, looking at Molly as he said it.

“Really?” she said, looking up at her godmother to see if it was true.

“Yes,” Molly smiled. “There is a baby in my tummy, but we want to let you know that this doesn’t change how we feel about you. Uncle Sherlock and I love you so much, Rosie.”

“Do you love each other?” Rosie asked.

Both godparents looked at each other and answered at the same time. “Yes.”

“Rosie, we have a scan today, where we get to see the baby. Would you like to come with us?” Molly asked.

“Yes, please. I love you both,” Rosie said, as both of her godparents hugged her.

 

*

 

The room was now calm and quiet, unlike it had been a few hours ago. Molly couldn’t help but stare into the eyes of her son and just feel instantly happy. 

“He’s so perfect,” she whispered, making sure not to wake him.

“She’s not so bad herself,” said the detective, looking down at the sleeping baby in his arms.

“I can’t believe they are actually ours.” She smiled, finding it hard to believe that they were finally here in the big wide world.

 "I can. I watched them actually being born,” Sherlock said, his face going slightly pale, remembering what had happened a few hours ago. “That's not something I'm going to forget, or ever plan to delete.”

Molly’s heart warmed at his words. She moved over in the bed as carefully as she could, making sure she did not wake her sleeping son. When she was in a more comfortable position, she patted the now free spot for Sherlock.

“Thank you,” he said, as he sat down next to her, kissing very lightly on the cheek. As he did so, he could feel something change with her. “Molly, what’s wrong?”

“I know it sounds silly, but I feel guilty. Since John and Mary passed away, they have missed out on so much, especially in Rosie’s life. We became her parents, which is something they should be doing, and now we have moved on with our life. We have the twins.”

Sherlock listened to Molly’s words; he couldn’t deny at times he felt the same way, but he knew nothing would change it. “Mary and John picked us because they knew even before us that we could handle this. I feel the guilt too, whenever Rosie has reached another milestone that they will never get to see, but if the tables were turned and they had to bring up the twins I’m sure they would feel the same way, and I hope they would have caused John a lot of trouble.”

Molly briefly chuckled at this, but then another thought crossed her mind that once again made the guilt sink it. “We wouldn’t have the twins if they hadn’t died.”

Sherlock smiled at this; he knew this wasn’t the right thing to do but he couldn’t help it. “That is where you are wrong, Molly. Mary was going to help me when she got back from her weekend away.”

“Help you how?” Molly asked.

“She was going to help me find a way to tell you I had feelings for you, but then…Well, you know at that point we both knew our focus had to be for our goddaughter. I didn’t say anything because it just wasn’t the right time. But I always knew I wanted to have a child, _children_ , with you. I love you.”

“I love you too, Sherlock.”

A knock at the broke them from their thoughts. As they looked up, they saw Greg quietly enter the room. He kept his voice low.

 “Mrs Hudson will be up with Rosie in a bit. They’re just in the canteen finishing lunch. So, I thought I would pop up and say hello before everybody else gets here. How are the little ones?”

“They're perfect,” Molly said, beaming with pride as she spoke about her children.

“So, are you going to finally tell me the name you have come up with for these two?”

Sherlock and Molly glanced at each over before Sherlock gave a tiny nod of his head. It was time.

“Our daughter is named Samantha, after my dad. His name was Sam,” Molly began, “which I might shorten it to. I’ll save Samantha for when she is in trouble.”

Sherlock chuckled at that. “This little guy is Edward. After my grandfather.”

“I genuinely can’t believe that you two have children - and I mean _twins_. Didn’t you once say to John that it’s never twins?” said Greg.

“I’ve been wrong before, but this time I am entirely grateful for it.”

“So, are the kids’ middle names going to be John and Mary?” asked Greg.

This was something that both Molly and Sherlock had discussed at great length since they found out about the twins. From the beginning, though, they always knew what they would do. 

“No,” Sherlock said bluntly.

“We didn’t think it was fair on Rosie,” said Molly softly. “John and Mary might have been our friends, but they were Rosie parents. It didn’t seem fair to her if we named the twins after them. It might be a bit confusing for her. When Rosie’s older and has kids of her own, she might want to honour her parents then.”

Greg took in the words that had been said to him. “That makes plenty of sense. I’m really happy for the two of you. Never thought I’d see you with a family, Sherlock, but it really suits you.”

“Thank you, Greg,” said Sherlock.

 

Just as the Detective Inspector was leaving to head out to work to follow a new lead on a case, Rosie and Mrs Hudson walked through the door.

“Aunty Molly, Uncle Sherlock, can I see the babies?” Rosie asked in an excited voice.

“She been so excited to see them all day,” Mrs Hudson smiled. “Though I must admit, so have I.”

Sherlock passed his daughter to his former landlady and saw her face instantly light up. “She’s so precious, Sherlock. I’m so proud of you.”

The detective then went over to his goddaughter and picked her up, so she could sit on the bed where he was just a moment ago. When she was comfortable, Rosie had a chance to hold both of her new siblings before Sherlock gently placed the sleeping children back in the beds next to Molly.

“What do you think, Rosamund? Do you like them?”  The detective asked.

The child nodded quickly back at them. “Yes,” she said, looking up at him. “Can I ask you a question?”

 “Of course, sweetheart,” Molly said, as she reached out her arm to stroke her hair.

“When twins start to speak, they will call you Mummy and Daddy, and I’ll be calling you by your names. I was wondering, can I call you Mum and Dad? I don’t want to feel odd.”

This caught both of them off guard.  They didn’t know what to say to the young girl.

“Um-”

“I can call you both Mum and Dad, and my parents can still be Mummy and Daddy,” Rosie said, a little worriedly.

 The room fell silent and awkward. The adults in the room all shared a look, not knowing what the right thing was to say. Molly looked up at Sherlock, hoping he thought the same as she was. Rosie was family - she shouldn’t feel like she got treated any differently. When he smiled back at her, she knew he was thinking the same thing.

“Of course, Rosie. We love you, and remember your Mummy and Daddy do too,” Molly said, carefully giving her a side hug.

“I love you too. Thank you for being my family and caring for me,” Rosie said.

 

To outsiders, their family would be deemed a bit unconventional, but, to Sherlock and Molly, and even Rosie, it was their normal. It didn’t matter what other people thought as long as they had each other. Nothing else mattered. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there is the last chapter. I know it wasn't that long but I felt like it ended in a good way. Thank for all the feedback so far but it would be really nice to hear what you think of this chapter so please if you can leave a comment 
> 
> thank you :-)

**Author's Note:**

> So that chapter one. How is Sherlock going to react to Molly's news? What is Rosie going to think? The next couple of chapters have been written I will upload them over the next few days.
> 
> Feedback is always very grateful love reading the comments. I hope you liked this chapter.


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